Cushion and carpet stretcher



A N S C CUSHION AND CARPET STRETCHER Filed sep-h.

C EL

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUSHION AND CARPETSTRETCHER George S. Vnak, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 3, 1946, Serial No. 694,557

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to improvements in fabric stretchers and has forits object to provide a simple and highly efficient stretcher fordrawing taut the adjacent edge portions of two pieces of fabric in acushion or two pieces of carpet material to be connected by sewing.

To the above end the invention consists of the novel devices andcombination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a view looking at the back of a cushion to which the improvedstretcher is applied;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a View looking at the inner side of the left hand terminalhead of a fragment of the attached frame;

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the inner side of the right hand terminalhead and a fragment of the attached frame;

Fig. 5 is a detail View principally in section taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a view looking at the outer side of the right hand terminalhead and a fragment of the attached frame.

In order to show the improved stretcher applied in working position,there is illustrated in the drawing a cushion 'I looking at the rear endpanel 8 thereof. An upper Welt S is stitched to the cushion 'I at theseam I0 between the top sides, front and back panels thereof, a lowerWelt II is stitched to the cushion 'I at the seam between the bottomsides and the front and back panels thereof.

It is Well known that in making a cushion and in filling or stuffing thesame, that the entire cushion is sewed on a machine except for the seamI0 which is left open and later sewed by hand. In stuffing a cushion thelling is placed in a box of well known construction, and the filled boxinserted into the cushion through the open back thereof. Next thestuffing is held in the cushion and the box removed. Finally the seam I0is closed by hand sewing.

When closing the seam I0 by hand sewing it is very diiiicult to hold theedge portions oi the top and back panels together and at the same timehold the same stretched taut. If the fabric is not stretched tautlongitudinally the fabric will be puckered and uneven thereby giving thework an unfinished and unprofessional-like appearance.

seam I0 is stretched longitudinally and at the same time the foldededges of the goods is held close together thus greatly facilitating thesewing of the seam I0. 1

Referring now in detail to the present invention the numeral I2indicates a long yoke-like frame the arms I3 of which are relativelyshort. On the outer end portions of the right hand arm I3 is a terminalhead I4 and on the outer end portions o the left hand arm I3 is aterminal head I5. The arms I3 overlap the inner sides of the terminalheads I4 and I5 and said heads are rigidly secured to the arms I3 bywelding or otherwise. It is important to note that the terminal heads I4and I5 project outwardly of the arms I3 and form longitudinal extensionsthereof.

The terminal head I4 has a large transverse round hole I6 and leadingtherefrom are two radial slots Il. These slots il diverge on radiallines from the center of the hole I6 on opposite sides of the plane ofthe frame I2 and each at an angle of 45 degrees from said plane.

A long chain I8 extends through the hole IB and is attached at its innerend to a hook I9. Said chain I8 at its other end is attached to therespective arm I3, as indicated at 2B. Formed in the outer face of theterminal head I4 is an annular lock .channel 2| concentric with the holeI6.

It may be here stated that each link in the chain I8 is formed of asingle piece of flat metal folded upon itself. The end portions of thelinks have therein coincident longitudinal slots. The folded end of thelink is shaped to afford an eye.

The links of the chain I8 are connected by inserting one of the membersof each link through the slots in the adjacent link to bring the edgesof the first noted link in said slots and thereby interlock the twolinks.

A second hook 22 is attached to an eye-bolt 23 that extends through ahole 2li in the terminal head I5 from the inside thereof. Applied to theeye-bolt 23 is a thumb-nut 25 that impinges the terminal head I5 at itsouter face, as a base of resistance.

To apply the improved stretcher to the cushion l', the frame I2 is laidon the top of the cushion 1 transversely thereof, with the arms I3extending toward the back of said cushion. The hook 22 is then insertedthrough the fabric of the cushion 'I at the upper rear left hand cornerthereof. Next the hook I9 is inserted through the fabric of the cushionat the upper right hand corner thereof.

At this time the chain I3 is loose in the hole I6. It will thus be seenthat the cushion I is anchored to the terminal head I5 by the hook 22.To stretch the cushion 'I longitudinally at the seam I0 the chain, whichis attached to the cushion 'I by the hook I 9 and the hook I3, is pulledout- Wardly through the hole I6 until the cushion 'I at the seam I0 isstretched taut. The chain I8 is then moved edgewise to place one of itslinks in the lowermost lock-sloty I.' and?y then allow slack in thechain It'to' pull the edge end of the'next' link in the chain into thelock channel 2 I. With one of the links of the chain I8 in the lockchannel 2l the chain I8 can not release-itself-ironrthe:

terminal head I4.

If further stretch on the cushion ist desired" from that accomplished bythe,chainthe,thumb. nut 25 may be turned on the eye-bolt 23,

The purpose of providing the stretcher with two lock slots I? is topermit the frame I2 to be p lacedonrthe cushion l` either side :up `sothat the lowermostlock slot; can be i used:

Fromwhatt has. beensaid., it will bev understood, that.V thedevicedescribedis capable or,Y modifica.-l tions as to details ofconstruction andfarrange-r ment-.Withinthe scope ofy the inventionherein disclosed. and claimed.-

What Inclairnv is:

In a deviceaof the'class described, a yoke-like` hotlyy memberforrnedof` asingle'bar having-a long soy intermediatefportion and shortvarms each pro le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- N'am'e Date '77,587 Cobborn May 5, 18681,231,521 Grinden June 26, 1917 1,613,933. Castleton Jan. l1, 19271,633,020 Ingram. June-21, 1927- 2,097,957 Stahl ,Nov. 2, 1937v2,200,044. Shannon May '7, 1940= FOREIGN? PATENTS Number Country Date360,701 France Mar.. 6, 1906 343469 Germany Nov. 2; 1921 493,970 GermanyMar. 17,.' 1930 4 vided at its outer end with a terminal head, a grappleon one of the terminal heads, a long link chain extending endwisethrough an aperture in the other terminal head for endwise slidingmovement and having on its inner end a grapple, the last noted terminalhead having a lock notch leading from the aperture therein into whichone of the links in the chain may be inserted by a lateral movement ofthe chain to anchor the same to the respective arm.

GEORGE S. VNAK.

REFERENCES CITED Thevfollowingj references are of record in the

